TRICARE Program; TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members and TRICARE Prime Enrollment Period

This final rule implements 10 U.S.C. 1079(p), as added by section 722(b) of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001. The rule provides coverage for medical care for active duty family members who reside with an active duty member of the Uniformed Services assigned to remote areas and eligible for the program known as TRICARE Prime Remote. Active duty family members who enroll in TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members (TPRADFM) will enjoy benefits generally comparable to TRICARE Prime enrollees including access standards, benefit coverage, and cost-shares. This final rule also implements Section 702 of the NDAA for FY 2003, which establishes circumstances under which dependents of Reserve Components and National Guard members called to active duty in support of contingency operations may enroll in TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members, and dependents of TRICARE Prime Remote service members may remain enrolled when the service member receives orders for an unaccompanied follow-on assignment. Finally, this final rule establishes circumstances under which eligible beneficiaries may enroll in TRICARE Prime for a period of less than 1 year.